Not every autumn fright adventure has to terrify you. From well-known tales like mystery-solving cartoons to endearing shows like Over the Garden Wall, many autumn-inspired favorites offer entertainment without needing causing fear. There’s also, a growing library of spooky-cute titles with autumn atmosphere, though lacking the keep-you-awake level of horror. Gloomy Eyes debuted in September, and serves as an outstanding comfortable option to the intensely frightening releases of 2025.
An Original Collaborative Solo Journey
Known as a single-player cooperative problem-solving title, Gloomy Eyes unites a undead youth known as Gloomy and a living girl called Nena as they embark on an adventure to return daylight to their gloomy world. Their design resembles Funko Pops blended with the characters from a animated feature. The pale-skinned and tired-looking style borrows heavily from the visual style of Tim Burton’s films, and the story is a archetypal family-friendly journey. The duo builds an strong connection over the duration of the game’s multiple stages as Nena attempts to prove to her clerical relative that, look, possibly the undead are actually good.
Innovative Puzzle Mechanics
The “self-coop” label stems from the game’s environmental puzzles. After Gloomy and Nena encounter each other, players alternate among the budding companions to complete challenges and advance through the areas. Since he's not alive, Gloomy is unable to traverse through the brightness of a light source, while Nena may be grabbed by wandering undead without a light is directed on them.
They must work in tandem — actually, gamers operate them in tandem — to complete stages. Nena might relocate or briefly disable lights to clear paths for Gloomy, while the thoughtful character will use his zombie strength to rearrange objects in the surroundings, creating ways for Nena.
Engaging World Building
The brain-teasers remind me a little of The Gardens Between, in the fashion the areas are hovering, model-like constructions that the camera moves across in sync with your characters. Gloomy Eyes’ environments are highly entertaining, leading the duo around a carnival and through a ghostly building, among other locations. The game includes a “diorama view” button that permits you to view from afar and rotate the levels, simultaneously to admire the artwork and look for ways that may not have been obvious.
Small Issues and General Gameplay
And that’s one of the only problems with Gloomy Eyes. Similar to other games with a fixed perspective, sometimes it's unclear where the heroes are able to move. You may need to just bump into a multiple different elements to discover which ones are interactable, as the game doesn't always indicate.
However, those slight obstacles don't obstruct of a ghostly-charming fun adventure. Gloomy Eyes is relatively brief, with approximately several hours worth of brain-teasers. Subsequent stages integrate minor hidden movement and dynamic sequences with the puzzle solving, as Gloomy Eyes progresses to a fulfilling — and somewhat surprising — finale.
Accessibility and Final Thoughts
Players shying away from the terror of terrifying titles should definitely try Gloomy Eyes. The game is out on Switch console, PlayStation 5, Windows PC, and Microsoft console, and is available at a reduced price for a discount on game marketplaces.
The spooky-cute adventure has been released on several consoles and provides a delightful choice for gamers looking for spooky entertainment minus the terrifying moments.
